Republican News · Thursday 4 September 2003

Volunteers remembered at Loughmacrory

The fifteenth anniversary of the Drumnakilly Ambush and the deaths of three local Republicans were commemorated at Loughmacrory, County Tyrone, last weekend.

The high point of the weekend was a parade from Loughmacrory GAA pitch to the graves of Volunteers Gerard and Martin Harte. The commemoration also remembered Volunteer Brian Mullin, who was killed alongside the Harte brothers on 30 August 1988 and who is buried in Dunmoyle.

The events were organised by St Teresa's GAC and by local republicans.

Kildress Wolfe Tones GAC 'won the day' and carried off the Gerard and Martin Harte Memorial cup, which is now the award in one of Tyrone's foremost under 12 Gaelic Football tournaments. Other teams to participate were Galbally Pearses, Tattyreagh and Loughmacrory, the host club.

The football tournament was followed by a colourful parade, which included young people sporting club and county jerseys and banners to the graveside of Gerard and Martin Harte. The parade was led by the Martin Hurson Memorial Band.

The graveside commemoration was chaired by local Gael, Martin Donaghy who welcomed the families of the three Volunteers and commented on the large attendance.

St Teresa's clubman, John O'Brien, then paid tribute to the two Loughmacrory Gaels and spoke of Gerard and Martin's commitment to the club, both as players and as club stalwarts. Seamus Heaney's poem entitled, Requiem for the Croppies, was recited by Geraldine McAleer.

In his speech, Sinn Féin Councillor Barry McElduff expressed the ongoing sympathy of the republican family to the Harte and Mullin families and he said that the challenge for republicans was "to achieve the united Ireland which Gerard, Martin and Brian set out to achieve". McElduff described the three men as "normal people and cherished family members who were extraordinarily committed to the struggle for Irish freedom".